By Jonny Turner The silver lining for star filly Captains Mistress is that the timing could be right for her, now. The three-year-old is part of a three-horse Southland attack that Nathan Williamson is preparing for the upcoming Auckland carnival. Hidden Talent and Ruby Roe will also head north and attempt to put Alexandra Park Group 1 titles next to their names, just like their stablemate already has. Spring setbacks meant Captains Mistress went into her last start in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks with just one conditioning run.…
Month: December 2025
Scheffler tees off at Timaru on Wednesday
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk He’s named after the world’s best golfer Scottie Scheffler but trainer Jessica Young-Grant is putting a lid on expectations ahead of her colt’s debut at Timaru on Wednesday. Scheffler, an American Ideal two-year-old, lines up in Race 6, the Brosnan Transport Passing Lane Mobile Pace (5.21pm). “He has a lovely attitude, he’s such a gem,” says Young-Grant, “and we think he’ll be a really nice horse … eventually.” But for now the youngster’s a bit of a project. He won a workout…
Whangaehu passes trial test
Bill Thurlow and Sam O’Malley are setting their sights on a return to Group One competition with Whangaehu (NZ) (Proisir) after a pleasing trial at Woodville on Tuesday. The well-performed Proisir gelding was required to trial to the satisfaction of the stewards after his last-start eighth in the Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham in October, where he was slow to leave the starting gate and reluctant to hit out in the early stages of the race. Thurlow and O’Malley got what they were hoping for on Tuesday as Whangaehu…
Hutchings back for another summer stint
Expat jockey Rory Hutchings has adopted his proven “have saddle, will travel” approach to another summer stint in New Zealand. Last summer the 30-year-old former champion apprentice made the most of his opportunities with 14 wins from 100 rides, including the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) and Listed Fulton Family Stakes (1500m) on local star El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking), and the Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1400m) on the Chris Waller-trained raider Konasana. He has a long-standing relationship with the Waller stable, including a recent stint based on Queensland’s Gold Coast, but…
Guerin Report – S2 Ep. 13 Ft. Zac Purton Pt.1
It’s part one of Michael’s chat with the King of Hong Kong, Zac Purton. They discuss the Aussie jockey’s kiwi connections, his career moves, Hong Kong racing, and Zac Purton the family man, including some awkwardness with his father in law. Guerin Report – S2 Ep. 13 Ft. Zac Purton Pt.1
Further stakes targets await promising filly
Smart filly Oratia Beauty (Too Darn Hot) went close to a major black-type credit last time out at Ellerslie and will get the opportunity to take care of unfinished business on the course at the next time of asking. A genuine daughter of Too Darn Hot, she rallied bravely under rider Matt Cartwright to finish runner-up in Saturday’s Listed Trevor & Corallie Eagle Memorial 3YO (1500m). That effort continued the encouraging start she has made to her career with a win and a quartet of placings from six appearances. “She…
Well Written back in work as New Year plans come together
Unbeaten filly Well Written (Written Tycoon) is back in work and while exact plans have yet to be confirmed, a clearer picture of her New Year schedule is forming. The only certainty is that her primary target is the $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m), and with that speculation is mounting as to which slot the Stephen Marsh-trained filly will be running for when the field for the country’s richest race lines up at Ellerslie on March 7. “She’s been back in the stable five days and looks great after having…
NZ Racing and Breeding News – 01 December 2025
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Kinnaird Karaka Millions-bound after debut win
The two-year-old race staged by the Levin Racing Club at Otaki every November has a proven record of unearthing top-level talent, and Te Akau Racing is hoping for more of the same with Sunday’s Levin Jumpouts 2YO (1100m) winner Kinnaird. The late-spring juvenile event boasts four subsequent Group One winners among its list of winners in the last 17 years alone, starting with the 2008 winner Eileen Dubh, who returned to take out the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) on the same raceday in 2009. The 2009 and 2020 winners, Jimmy…
Provence confirmed for TAB Mufhasa Classic
Stephen Marsh has his sights set on further feature-race success, with his proven performer Provence (NZ) (Savabeel) confirmed for Saturday’s Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m) at Trentham. The Cambridge trainer took his black-type tally for the first four months of the season to seven when Ammirati (NZ) (Savabeel) claimed a bizarre win in Sunday’s Gr.3 Jennian Homes Wellington Stakes (1600m) at Otaki. In a dramatic final 50 metres, fellow Cambridge-trained three-year-old Road To Paris (NZ) (Circus Maximus) shied at the winning post with victory in sight, dropping rider Masa Hashizume…